We're excited to announce a partnership with Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, a leader in healthcare, life science and performance materials, in celebration of the company’s 125 years of scientific collaboration and curiosity in Massachusetts and the United States. Starting today, classrooms submitting science projects in Massachusetts will be eligible for full funding at the end of September. It’s part of the company’s “Smarter, Together” in the Classroom program to support the future generation of passionately curious scientists.The “Smarter, Together” in the Classroom program will provide K-12 classrooms across Massachusetts with funding for projects to explore their most pressing, scientific questions. Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, is committing $125,000 to support the state-based effort, also in partnership with Massachusetts Association of Science Teachers, and plans to expand the program nationally. Select classrooms will also have the opportunity to benefit from mentorship by an EMD Millipore, EMD Serono or EMD Performance Materials scientist or researcher.To qualify for funding, projects must:
- be submitted by Friday, October 9, 2015
- be classified under one of the science subject categories (environmental science, health and life science, applied science)
- cost $1,250 or less in total costs
- serve students in grades K-12 in Massachusetts
- include the phrase "Smarter, Together" in the project essay
- mention the scientific question the submission is designed to explore (e.g., “Why do plants grow at different speeds?”)
Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, will be hand-selecting the projects to fully fund on October 19, 2015. Please note, if choosing to participate in this campaign by submitting an eligible project with the phrase "Smarter, Together," you grant DonorsChoose.org the right to share your e-mail address with Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany so they can contact you about potentially providing volunteers and mentors for your classroom. Your e-mail address will only be shared if your qualifying project is fully funded.“For 125 years in the U.S.—and nearly 350 years in Germany—our relentless questioning has opened doors to great discoveries made together,” said Stefan Oschmann, Vice Chairman of the Executive Board and Deputy CEO of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany. “This year, we celebrate our company’s role in helping to answer some of science’s greatest questions, and we look forward to instilling that same, insistent curiosity as our future legacy.”
